


Right Where It Belongs

by PinkSparkleUnicorn



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Animal trouble, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 14:26:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15608259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkSparkleUnicorn/pseuds/PinkSparkleUnicorn
Summary: Nathan, Duke, and Audrey solve a silly trouble.





	Right Where It Belongs

Veronica St. Martin was very good at controlling her trouble. She could count on one hand the number of times she set it off in public.  That’s why she was so upset with herself for hitting not only the Chief of Police and Dr. Verrano but Duke Crocker with it. It really wasn’t totally her fault. She hadn’t realized she was sick until she was at the daycare center to pick up Julien. Her husband was out of town and it’s not like she could just leave her son at daycare until she got better. She tried not to touch anyone, really she did. Julien could be a handful if he didn’t get his afternoon nap and it figures today would be the day he didn’t get it. The minute she set him down to open the car door he ran into the street and of course someone would have to scoop him up before she could get to him. And of course that someone would have to be Nathan Wuornos, Chief of Police. She tried to take Julien back from Nathan without touching him but it proved impossible. As she was thanking him for saving her son she backed up into Dr. Verrano who was taking an afternoon walk. Great, two victims! And if that wasn’t enough, in her haste to apologize and get Julien safely in the car she smacked Duke Crocker with her car door. Before she could stop herself she reached out to steady him so he wouldn’t fall over. Oh no, this was turning out to be a horrible day!

 

“Veronica? Are you okay?” Nathan asked as she hurried around to the driver’s side.

 

“I’m fine! Sorry, just in a rush today! Thanks again for grabbing Julien!” She closed her door and sped away before she could cause any more havoc.

 

She hoped her three victims wouldn’t be too mad at her tomorrow. Her trouble wasn’t bad compared to most but it still caused problems. Her family’s trouble used to be awful but her ancestors found a way to minimize the damage. She wasn’t too worried about how Duke would react. They went to school together and she knew he wasn’t easily rattled. Plus her friend Tracy worked at the Grey Gull and said Duke wasn’t bothered by Troubled people. He mostly had a live and let live philosophy. Truth be told she wasn’t really worried about Dr. Verrano either. Gloria may be rough around the edges but she was a big softie. At least that’s what her parents had told her. Her mother had worked at the hospital and spoke of Dr. Verrano quite often. It was Nathan who worried her a little bit. Ever since his trouble came back he was a bit standoffish. He didn’t laugh as much as he had when they went to school together. But she knew he did his best to help the troubled and never had an unkind word for her when he saw her around town, especially when she had Julien with her. One thing everyone knew about Nathan Wuornos was that he has a soft spot for babies and animals.Well, there wasn’t anything she could do now. She would just have to wait until tomorrow and hope for the best. She debated going to the police station and explaining it all to Nathan. But with her luck she’d touch twenty more people on her way there and that was something Haven did not need. She could also call the station but she was afraid to talk to anyone except Nathan. She worked too hard to keep anyone but her husband’s family from finding out she was troubled. Besides, she was sure they would figure out it was her. Nathan and Officer Parker seemed to be good at figuring out the Troubles.

 

 

 

Duke woke up to the soft bleating of a lamb. He rubbed his eyes not once but twice and yup, the small white lamb was still sitting next to him on his bed. How in the world did a lamb get onto the Rouge let alone in his bed? Maybe he was still dreaming. He reached out to touch it. His hand ran down the soft back of the lamb. Nope, he was awake. He got up, pulled on pair of pants and went to get a cup of coffee. There was no way he was dealing with this without caffeine. The lamb followed him into the kitchen and stood quietly while he started the coffee. He looked down and chuckled, “Well, at least you’re well behaved. How did you get in here?”

 

The lamb just looked at him. Not that he expected it to answer. Duke checked his door and found it to be locked, just like he expected it to be. Shaking his head he went back to the kitchen and poured his coffee. He moved to the table and sat down. The lamb followed and tried to climb up next to him. Amused, Duke reached down and picked it up to place it on the bench next to him. “Are you hungry?”

 

The lamb let out a soft bleat. Duke chuckled again, “That almost seemed like you understood me.”

 

He got up and went to the refrigerator. “I wonder if I have anything you would eat. I don’t suppose you’d like some leftover pasta and clam sauce?”

 

The lamb let out another soft bleat and turned its head. “Should I be insulted? It’s really very good. Are you sure you don’t want to try it?” The lamb bleated and turned its head again. “Okay, okay...not a pasta fan. I get it. Let’s see...how about some salad?”

 

Duke took out some lettuce and set it on a plate in front of the lamb. It came close to the plate and began eating the lettuce. Duke finished his coffee and looked down at the lamb, “Okay, my fluffy little friend. I’m going to get dressed and see if we can’t figure out where you came from and how you ended up on my boat.”

 

The lamb looked up from the lettuce and followed Duke into the bedroom. Duke smiled, “Don’t like being too far away, huh?”

 

Duke finished getting dressed and leaned down to pick up the lamb. He expected it to squirm or try to get down but it didn’t. It just settled in his arms and snuggled close to him. “You know, you are very cute. Do you have a name?”

The lamb looked up at him and bleated. Duke laughed, “I really think you are trying to communicate with me. Wait...are you someone I know? Is this an animal transformation trouble? Do they even exist? I’d better get you to Audrey and Nathan. If you are a person they’ll be able to figure out how to fix this.”

 

Duke carried the lamb to his truck and placed it on the seat next to him. The whole ride to the station he continued to talk to the lamb, “I can’t keep calling you, lamb, so let’s figure out what to call you just in case you aren’t a person. Stop me if you hear anything you like. Daisy? Coco? Penny? Sugar? Lulu? Snowball?”

 

The lamb bleated. “Snowball?” The lamb bleated again. “Okay, Snowball it is.”

 

They arrived at station a few minutes later. Duke parked his truck and carefully scooped Snowball up. He walked inside. “Morning, Stan. Is the Chief in his office?”

 

Stan looked up at Duke calmly holding a lamb in his arms. “ Yeah, you can go on back. Duke...uh, do you know you’re carrying a lamb?”

 

Duke nodded and turned towards Nathan’s office. “Yup, her name is Snowball.”

 

Stan just stared after Duke and muttered to himself, “I will never understand that man.”

 

Duke opened the door to Nathan’s office and stopped short. Whatever he had been expecting, this definitely wasn’t it. Nathan was sitting at his desk with a small bundle of fur asleep on a pile of folders in front of him. Nathan was talking to Audrey and lightly stroking the bundle of fur. He looked up when Duke came in. He narrowed his eyes and sighed, “Is that a lamb?”

Duke nodded and pointed to Nathan’s desk, “Is that a rabbit?”

 

Nathan shook his head. “Kitten. Where did your lamb come from?”

 

“I have no idea. It was sitting next to me when I woke up. Yours?” Duke replied.

 

“Same,” Nathan answered. Just then his phone rang. He picked it up, “Chief Wuornos. Gloria? What’s wrong?”

 

He pulled the phone away from his ear because Gloria was yelling loud enough for Duke and Audrey to hear her, “Would you mind telling me why I have a Goddamn white calf following me around?”

 

Duke and Audrey stifled their laugher but Nathan couldn’t. “It must be a trouble. We were just on our way to figure out whose trouble it is. I’ll call you when we know,” he assured her.

 

“Well, you better figure it out quick. It’s not my idea of fun running around with a calf following my every move. Do you know it followed me into the bathroom?” Gloria yelled.

 

“I’m sorry, Gloria. We’ll fix it...soon,” Nathan said calming her down enough to put the phone back to his ear to finish the conversation.“Yes, I know this is serious. No, I’m not laughing at you. No, you aren’t the only one. I have a kitten and Duke has a lamb. Really? Now who’s laughing? Goodbye, Gloria. I’ll be in touch.”

 

Nathan hung up the phone and looked over at the kitten sitting on his desk. The phone had woken it up and now it was nudging Nathan’s hand. He picked it up and started petting it softly. The kitten settled down in Nathan’s arms and purred. Audrey smiled at him and Duke just shook his head and gave Nathan a teasing grin, “Okay, Dr. Evil are you going to sit there all day stroking Mr. Bigglesworth or are we going to find this troubled person?”

 

Nathan scowled at him, “Its name is Marshmallow.”

 

Duke burst into uproarious laughter, “Marshmallow? The best you could come up with is Marshmallow?”

 

“I’m sure your lamb has a much better name?” Nathan challenged.

 

Duke stopped laughing when he realized that Snowball wasn’t much better than Marshmallow. “Fair enough. Though Snowball kinda named herself. She seems to understand when I talk to her. Are they people turned into animals or just animals? And do we have any idea who could have caused this?”

 

“She? How do you know it’s a girl? Did you check,” Audrey asked grinning.

 

Duke gave her a look that suggested he hadn’t thought to look, “Um, no. I just kinda got the feeling she was female.”

 

Nathan got up with Marshmallow still cradled in his arms and turned to answer Duke, “I have no idea if they are people but I think I may have an idea who caused this. We should get going. I’m hoping the whole town doesn’t have furry four legged shadows.”

 

Audrey looked confused, “You know who caused this? Before Duke came in you said you had no idea what was going on.”

 

Nathan shrugged, “I don’t know for sure but seeing Duke with the lamb and then Gloria being affected, too gave me some clues.”

 

Duke and Audrey followed Nathan out of the station towards the Bronco. They were almost there when Nathan noticed Veronica St. Martin sitting in her car. He gestured towards her car, “Speak of the devil.”

 

“You think this is Vee’s trouble? Seriously?” Duke asked incredulously.

 

Nathan nodded, “All three of us who were affected had contact with her yesterday. Remember?”

 

He walked over to Veronica’s car and she rolled down the window. “Nathan...I...uh, can explain?” She said obviously worried, “But not here. It’s too dangerous. I need to get back to my house. Can we discuss it there?”

 

Nathan nodded and ushered Duke and Audrey back to the Bronco. They followed Veronica to her house.

 

She pulled into her driveway and Nathan parked behind her. She hurriedly unhooked Julien from his car seat and set him on the ground. Nathan, Duke and Audrey watched with interest as she struggled with something in the backseat. When she cursed softly Audrey went over to help. “Everything okay?”

 

Veronica sighed and backed out of the car carrying a small white monkey. “Seems Georgia here doesn’t want to leave the car.”

 

Audrey just raised and eyebrow and followed Veronica into the house. Once inside she put the monkey down and it followed Julien into his playroom. She turned to her stunned houseguests and gestured towards the living room, “I think you all deserve an explanation. Would anyone like a drink? Coffee, water, beer?”

 

“I could use a beer,” Duke said trying to ignore Nathan’s disapproving glare. “What? Just because you can’t drink while on duty, Mr. Uptight Policeman doesn’t mean I can’t have a beer. Not a police officer, remember?”

 

“Water is fine...for all of us,” Audrey answered ushering Nathan and Duke into the living room. Nathan and Audrey sat on the loveseat while Duke sprawled out on the sofa across from them.

 

Veronica appeared a few minutes later with three bottles of water and a box of tissues. “Duke, Nathan...how have you been?”

 

“Fine...considering everything,” Nathan answered. He turned towards Audrey, “Parker, I’d like you to meet Veronica St. Martin. We went to school together.”

 

Audrey extended her hand and smiled when Veronica hesitated, “It’s okay. I seem to be immune to the troubles.”

 

Veronica let out a nervous laugh and shook her hand, “It’s nice to meet you. I just wish it were under better circumstances. I’m really sorry about all of this.”

 

“I’m actually enjoying this. Nathan and Duke carrying around soft fluffy animals is the best thing that’s happened all week!” Audrey laughed.

 

Veronica sneezed. “I’m sorry. I’m sick,” she said as if that explained everything.

 

“So, I’m guessing this is your trouble?” Duke said gesturing toward the animals.

 

Veronica nodded sitting on the sofa next to Duke, “It only happens when I’m sick. If I touch someone. Even the slightest contact causes an animal to appear the next day.”

 

Nathan sighed, “I have to ask...are they people?”

 

“What? No! My trouble isn’t like that. They really are just baby animals,” Veronica assured him.

 

Duke seemed to relax at that. At least he wasn’t carrying around someone from town. He put Snowball on the floor by his feet.Nathan did the same with Marshmallow. He turned back to Veronica to ask more questions when he heard a hiss and loud bleating from across the room.

 

“Hey! Stop that! Nathan, your cat is being mean!” Duke almost yelled scooping up Snowball.

 

Audrey chuckled but Nathan looked horrified. He grabbed Marshmallow, who was still hissing and waving its paws at Snowball. Once the kitten was calm and no longer hissing he put it down again. Marshmallow promptly walked over to Duke, jumped on his lap and tried to swat at Snowball again.Duke just raised the lamb above his head and waited for Nathan to get his kitten.

 

“Great! My kitten is a bully,” he said picking her up again. He looked at Veronica, “Why? She was calm and very docile all morning.’

 

Veronica shrugged, “Sometimes they take on some characteristics of their owners. Georgia is a handful and tries to climb everything...just like Julian.”

 

“But if that’s true why didn’t Duke’s lamb fight back?” Nathan asked petting Marshmallow softly.

 

“Maybe because _Duke_ doesn’t always fight back. Maybe because he usually just takes it from you?” Audrey suggested.

 

“I am not a bully! I never put tacks in anyone’s back...” Nathan said getting up from the loveseat.

 

Duke cut him off, “How many times do I have to apologize for those tacks? I was eight! Can we just listen to what Veronica has to say? I’d like to know how long I have to worry about Snowball following me around. Not that she’s any trouble but I can’t run a restaurant with an animal in my kitchen.”

 

Nathan rolled his eyes but stopped arguing. He sat back down still a little embarrassed his kitten was a bully.

 

Audrey just shook her head and turned to Veronica, “Can you tell us about your trouble? We’ll try to hold our questions until you’re finished.”

 

Veronica took a deep breath, “Like I said, when anyone in my family gets sick and touches someone a baby animal appears the next morning. They are always female and always white...don’t ask about the white part because I have no idea about that. They stay until we get better. It’s actually pretty harmless but it wasn’t always. In the beginning, the animals weren’t babies. They were always full grown and dangerous. Most of the time they killed their ‘owners’ in their sleep and generally caused chaos all over town. My ancestors figured out a way to minimize the damage.”

 

“How? What did they do?” Nathan interrupted.

 

“I’m not sure how they figured it out but once we realize we are sick we just have to think about baby animals. Then if we touch someone the animals are usually harmless. My grandmother found out that girl animals are more docile so now we try to think of female baby animals. They also usually relate a little to the person they follow...for instance lambs are said to be associated with self acceptance, gentleness, sometimes vulnerability...,” Veronica said gesturing towards Duke and Snowball.

 

Nathan scoffed, “Duke vulnerable? I think you got his animal wrong.”

 

“And you wonder why your kitten is a bully?” Audrey scolded.

 

Nathan turned bright red and glanced at Duke who quickly looked away but not before he saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes. Shit, maybe he was acting like a bully.

 

“How long has your trouble been active? Did you have it the last time around?” Audrey asked.

 

Veronica nodded, “It usually appears when we are five or six. I still have a few years to teach Julien how to control it. It’s actually not very hard. None of this would have happened if I had realized I was sick before I left the house. I would have asked someone to get Julien for me and just stayed inside until Mark came back from his business trip. Then only Mark and Julien would have been affected and we know how to deal with their animals. I really tried not to touch you both. I’m sorry. I just have a cold. You shouldn’t have your little shadows for more than a week.”

 

Duke waved her off, “It’s okay, Vee. I kinda like my little friend. And it looks like once Nathan gets past the fact that Marshmallow is a bully he’ll be okay. Gloria on the other hand...”

 

“Oh no! What animal did I give her?” Veronica wailed.

 

Nathan laughed, “A calf. Followed her right into the bathroom.”

 

Veronica looked mortified but the others just laughed.

 

Once Nathan stopped laughing he spoke again, “I just have a one more question and then we’ll let you get some rest. Can they understand us? I mean more than a normal animal.”

 

Veronica started to answer when she noticed Marshmallow trying to get out of Nathan’s grasp. She was nipping at his hand and Veronica swore she saw Nathan grimace. “Nathan, I think she wants to get down.”

 

Nathan brought his kitten up to look her in the eyes, “If I put you down you have to leave Snowball alone. You have to be nice. Can you do that?” Marshmallow looked at him with her ocean blue eyes and mewed softly as if she was answering him. His heart melted. He stole a glance at Duke and saw a small grin break out on his face. He almost wanted to scowl at him but what the hell...he let himself smile back. Satisfied that he wasn’t going to have to rescue Duke’s lamb again he put her down. She walked over to Snowball but she didn’t claw or hiss this time. She just curled up next to her new friend and fell asleep.

 

“To answer your question, Nathan, yes. They do understand more than a normal animal. I think it’s because they are part of you. I will warn you both that it’s kind of emotional when they leave. I remember as a child crying for days the first time my animal left and Mark says it feels like you’ve lost something important. I know that seems strange but what about the Troubles isn’t strange?” Veronica sneezed again.

 

Nathan looked at her and realized she needed rest. “I think we’ve got all the answers we need. If you think of anything else we need to know just call,” he said handing her his card.

 

“I actually have one more question,” Audrey said looking a bit confused. “What happens when you get really sick and need a doctor? How do you keep from infecting the whole doctor’s office?”

 

Veronica laughed, “We have a family doctor who knows about our trouble. He makes house calls. Luckily, I’m normally very healthy. Just a cold here and there. I really am sorry about this. I know it’s not ideal but at least you won’t have to worry that your animal will eat you while you sleep. That’s a plus, right?”

 

“Really, Vee, it’s okay. Just...uh...can you give me a heads up when you’re feeling better? You can call the Gull, if I’m not there Tracy can you give you my cell. I think I might want to say goodbye to Snowball,” Duke said scooping up his sleeping lamb.

 

“No problem. Nathan? Would you like me to call you, too?” Veronica asked as she followed them to the door.

 

Nathan just nodded. He let Duke and Audrey leave the house before turning back to Veronica, “Just one more question...when you get sick again will Julien and Mark have the same animal?”

 

Veronica smiled a little and nodded, “It’s always the same animal...and yes, they remember us. Thank you for being so understanding, Nathan. I know it’s going to be hard taking care of a baby animal especially with your trouble.”

 

Nathan just shrugged and gave her shoulder a squeeze with his free hand, “Like Duke said it’s okay, Vee.”

 

Once back at the station Nathan called Gloria and Duke left to try to explain to his staff why he wouldn’t be cooking for the next week.

 

Exactly a week later both Duke and Nathan got a text from Veronica letting them know she was feeling better. Their animals would likely be gone when they woke up.

 

Nathan sat on the floor in his living room letting Marshmallow climb all over him. He was really going to miss her. He didn’t tell anyone but he could feel her. He wasn’t sure why he kept it a secret. Maybe because he didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him when she was gone. He sighed, “Well my little bully, it looks like this is it. You’ll be gone tomorrow and I’ll be back to giving Parker awkward high fives just to feel something.” Marshmallow stopped climbing on him and curled up in his lap. She looked up at him and started purring when he reached down to pet her.

 

Across town on the Cape Rouge, Duke was having a similar conversation with Snowball. “You know, I never really thought a lamb would be a good pet. In fact I never really thought about lambs at all. But I guess we all make mistakes...I’m going to miss you.”

 

When Nathan and Duke woke up the next morning their animals were gone.

 

 

 

About a month later Nathan made a detour on the way home from work. He needed to see someone. He parked his car and got out. As he was walking towards the house he noticed Duke standing at the door with his hand poised to knock. “What are you doing here?”

 

Duke jumped at the sound of Nathan’s voice. He turned and raised an eyebrow, “I could ask you the same thing.”

 

Before Nathan could respond the door opened. Veronica looked a little confused to see them on her doorstep, “Nathan? Duke? What are you doing here?”

 

Nathan looked at Duke and then turned to Veronica with a slight smile on his face, “We heard you were sick...”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
